Wow.
Just wow.
It's politico after all, I probably believe maybe 45% of what they write...Why would this one be true?
But then again, they did report another statement from Reid who acknowlegded it to be true and has ( I do believe sincerely) apologized.
WTF is a "negro dialect" anyway? And is a "dark skinned" person like me really that much of a threat to white America?
Allow me to change the subject a bit from healthcare, MA special elections, pro-Obama and critical-Obama ( I won't say anti-Obama as it would be a bit unfair), Geithner/AIG to dwell a little on the uncomfortable subject of race.....
I'm Black. Ok, African-American ( a mouthful ain't it?). My dad and Mom are not ruffled by Negro. I am. Who still uses Negro??!
Anyway, I am not naive as to think people don't have prejudices or even subconscious uneasiness with "the other". We all do.
Heck when Beck said he didn't have many black friends because he was afraid he would say the wrong thing and would offend them, I understood.
I really do. See I'm a 26 years old girl..er.woman. My parents did pretty well for themselves. They got me a good education and I grew up in a decent neighborhood. Actually, it was mostly white. My friends are maybe 60 % white. I didn't and don't feel excluded. I loved my high school and college friends. The fact that race doesn't really come into play may have something to do with the fact that when they really want to know something about "black" culture, they are free to ask or say smth to me and I do the same without the risk of offending anyone. I know it never comes from a mean spirited place and I encourage curiousity and openess rather than awkward friendship and phony familiarity. Most of the time though, we don't really care ( or I'd like to think we don't) what race this person is, just like we don't care how tall they are or what color their eyes are.. It's them and so what?
Their parents may have grown up with racial tensions and prejudices but I guess they didn't have that much influence on their kids in such matter. I mean, they grew up, like me, listening to rap music and making artists like 50 cents and Eminem very rich men.
Just like my parents didn't have that much influence on racial matters either. For as much as they were educated black folks, they would always make little insinuations to not completely trust the white man. They've seen way too many ugly things not to be cynical. They fought very hard to allow me the luxury of not having to always worry that my skin color matters to some people.
And I don't, for the most part. I don't think I ve ever encountered outward racism. Sure, I ve met the occasional bigot here and there but it has really never bothered me. Another era and their problem, not mine, I say.
I didn't vote for Obama because he was black. I would have never voted for Sharpton or even Harold Ford. Steele is the biggest joke there is.
But I believe in Obama. Pure and simple. My friends and I , black, white, asian, latino etc... When he said "his little foot soldiers"..I think he meant us. The funny thing is, I don't even think we thought of him as a "black man". He just was our generation. A blend. A melting pot ( cliche, but hey it s 4 am where I am)....He spoke to us. No one ever bothered to. Maybe the college professor thing....
I've always loved Bill Clinton. I don't think he has a racist bone in his body.
And I don't think I ve ever thought of Harry Reid as more prejudiced than any other.
So why do those comments seem to affect me? Have I been wrong all along? Yes, they're a different generation than me.
But why does it always seem to pop up? Am I only accepted because I don't sound "negro"? Is that what my white friends secretly think? I'm dark skinned. Would I have an easier time if I were lighter skinned?
I don't want to be cynical. I don't want to be my parents, who were friendly enough with the neighbors but never let themselves open up to strike lasting friendships with them for fear of being "stabbed in the back".
I don't want to assign ulterior motives to people that harshly criticize Obama. He's just a man. Prone to mistakes and misjudgements.
But when off -the -wall jarring comments like that come out of people that I thought were his friends ( ok maybe not Clinton but I thought he's redeemed himself pretty well this past year and I attributed the weird North Carolina episode to the heat and toughness of the campaign)...when they say things like that, I'm confused. And I get a knee jerk reaction to defend him from his critics . I shouldn't have to. It's draining.
I guess I'm a little hurt. I know I should thoughen up and don't let it bother me but.... I 'll have to grow up eventually. It's not a pretty world out there, is it?